NIST moves forward with cyber-focused research center

Apr. 4, 2014 - 04:24PM
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The National Institute of Standards and Technology is one step closer to sponsoring a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), focused on making U.S. information systems more secure.

NIST plans to award a $5 billion contract to operate the FFRDC and support its National Cybersecurity Center of Excellence, or NCCoE for short. The NCCoE is tasked with developing and promoting the adoption of practical cybersecurity solutions.

The contract will have a base period of five years with a maximum of 25 years. Proposals are due May 22.

Work under the contract will include scientific operations and facilities management and engineering support. The latter will involve developing cyber solutions from commercial components and conducting technology transfers that will provide secure solutions for the federal government, according to an April 2 request for proposal.

“FFRDCs are independent nonprofit organizations that operate in the public interest and provide a highly efficient way to leverage and rapidly assemble physical resources and scientific and engineering talent, both public and private,” according to NIST. “By design, they have beyond normal access to government and supplier data, and as nonprofits, they have no bias toward any particular company, technology or product—key attributes, given the NCCoE's collaborative nature.”